Key witness to ‘sniper tourists’ who allegedly paid for ‘human safaris’ dies in ‘mysterious circumstances’

A former commander who was considered a 'crucial witness' in the investigation into Sarajevo's alleged 'human safaris' has died unexpectedly.

Slavko Aleksic, who was a militia leader in the Bosnian-Serb Army, has passed away at the age of 69 - just a month after shocking claims about supposed sniper tourists resurfaced.

It was hoped that he could shed light on the allegations currently under investigation by Italian prosecutors, given his position at the time.

Aleksic, a former post office worker, was in charge of snipers who were stationed at a Jewish cemetery above the city of Sarajevo during the Balkan wars. It has been claimed that he drove around in a car which featured a human skull on the bonnet, which was wearing a UN helmet, according to the Daily Mail.

He died in Trebinje, Bosnia, earlier this week, according to the government news agency.

Bosnian Serb politician Milorad Dodik described him as 'a great patriot who left an indelible mark on the history of the Serbian people' in a post on X.

Earlier this year, Italian journalist Ezio Gavazzeni made some explosive claims, boldly declaring that wealthy foreigners paid to participate in 'human safaris'.

Slavko Aleksic's death comes a month after the human safari allegations resurfaced (YouTube/BIR TV)

He alleged that Europeans - including Italians, Germans, French and English nationals - are suspected of having shelled out up to £70,000 to shoot at innocent civilians in the Bosnian capital while it was under siege.

"There were no political or religious motivations," Gavazzeni said. "They were rich people who went there for fun and personal satisfaction."

Amid the ongoing probe into the so-called 'sniper tourism' trade, Aleksic was considered as a possible star witness - as one lawyer suggested he could have unlocked the secrets of what really happened in Sarajevo.

"He could have said who did the shooting and who organised it," Serbian lawyer Cedomir Stojkovic said, as per The Times.

Croatian investigative journalist Domagoj Margetic further claimed that Aleksic had recently vowed to 'testify' in favour of the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic.

Vucic has vehemently denied any involvement in the alleged human safari trade, saying he has 'never killed, wounded, or done anything similar' to a human being.

"Aleksic was alive and well then, did not announce a fatal illness and, on the contrary, said he would testify in favour of Vucic," the reporter said.

The car that the former militia leader is alleged to have driven around (X)

The former commander is alleged to have rang a radio show on 12 December, where he explained that he was currently in the hospital in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.

"A source in a hospital in Bosnia told me Aleksic’s body was brought back to Bosnia so he could be declared dead there," Margetic has since claimed.

He has reportedly called upon Bosnian prosecutors to halt any burial or cremation plans, so that a post-mortem can be carried out upon Aleksic's body.

Stojkovic said: "It’s reasonable to think Aleksic’s death was linked to the ‘human safari’ probe and that Serbian intelligence was involved."

Margetic also added: "In November, Aleksic was apparently in good health - and now he has suddenly, and very conveniently, died."

However, a spokesperson for President Vucic rubbished suggestions that Serbian intelligence could have played a part in Aleksic's death.

"This person died in another country," the spokesperson said. "Please read the serious news, not Domagoj Margetic."